Red blood cells contain an anti-aging protein that helps to prevent cognitive decline
Qiang and colleagues conducted research that found a connection between a red blood cell protein and cognitive decline with age. The study, published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, on the 17th of June 2021, shows that reducing the amount of ADORA2B in mouse blood leads to a faster decline in memory and auditory processing. It also increases inflammation in the brain.
The number of people experiencing age-related cognitive decline is increasing as life expectancies increase around the globe. The team hypothesized, because the oxygen level in the blood decreases as we age, that the aging of the brain could be held back by ADORA2B. ADORA2B is a protein found on the membranes of red blood cell which helps release oxygen so the body can use it. To test their hypothesis, the team created mice with ADORA2B deficient blood and compared it to control mice.
As the mice aged, the team discovered that the signs of cognitive decline – poor memory, hearing impairments, and inflammation in the brain – were all more pronounced in mice lacking ADORA2B. After a period in which oxygen was deprive, the behavioral and physiologic effects on young mice lacking ADORA2B are much more severe than on normal young mice.
Source:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-06-anti-aging-protein-red-blood-cells.html
